Laterally extending chair or seat



May 20, 1941. c. L. PARRY LATERALLY EXTENDING CHAIR 0R SEAT Filed Jan. 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 20, 1941. Q PARRY 2,242,617

LATERALLY EXTENDING CHAIR 0R SEAT Filed Jan. 5, 1939 3 Sheets Sheet 2 Invuvdor fltta run-ya May 20, 1941. c, L, P RRY 2,242,617

LATERALLY EXTENDING CHAIR OR SEAT Filed Jan. 3, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 20, 1941 LATERALLY EXTENDING CHAIR OR SEAT Christopher Lcton Parry, Ramsey St. Mary, England Application January 3, 1939, Serial No. 249,119 in Great Britain February 21, 1938 12 Claims.

This invention relates to chairs, seats or the like, and is particularly, although not exclusively, concerned with indoor easy chairs such as those forming part of the well-known three-piece suite,

One of the drawbacks of the three-piece suite is that the settee which may only come in for occasional use occupies a considerable space. This is particularly inconvenient where the living rooms are small. The present invention has for an object to provide a seat, chair or the like, of a novel and improved construction which will enable a small living room to be adequately furnished insofar as seating accommodation is concerned, without the room being over-crowded in normal circumstances.

According to the invention, a chair of seat comprising two side arms, a seat portion and a back, has the side arms relatively movable away from one another and has the seat portion and back extensible so that the chair as a whole can be extended laterally to accommodate one or more additional occupants.

The seat portion preferably has at one or both sides a hingedly attached extension which is housed within the corresponding side arm when the chair is in its normal condition. The back may also be extensible at one or both sides by having hingedly attached extensions which are disposed at the rear of the back when the chair is in the unextended position.

A chair having such extensions on the seat and back may have said extensions so cont-rolled by link and/or lever mechanism that the side arms can be moved apart, the seat portion extended and the back extended, simply by the act of opening out the extensions of the back.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings of which one form is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 1 being a perspective View of the skeleton of the chair with one of the side arms omitted for clearness; and Figures 2 and 3 being perspective views of the finished chair in its unextended or normal condition and in its extended condition respectively. Figure 4 is a plan view of a modification of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1,2 and 3, the chair skeleton comprises a central fixed framework indicated generally at H, and two laterally slidable side-arms, one of which is indicated generally at l2. The framework ll carries the seat portion and its extensions and also carries the back together with its extensions.

The frame I l comprises two laterally extending spaced guide bars 13 and M which are united at their corresponding ends by the cross boards I5 and I3. Two spaced upright panels I! and IB are attached to the bars I3 and M by lengths of angle iron I9 and 20; the lengths l9 securing the forward ends of the panels and the lengths 23 securing the rear ends of the panels, which ends are spaced forwardly away from the rear bar Id. The panels I! and I8 carry at their forward upper corners the front frame member 2! of the central part of the seat portion, Whilst the rear upper corners of panels I1 and I8 carry a similar cross-piece 22 which forms the rear frame member of the central portion of the seat. Both the front and rear frame members 2| and 22 are fixed to the panels by bent-back tongues such as that indicated at 23.

The frame members 21 and 22 carry hingedly at their ends the corresponding ends of two U- shaped frame extensions 24 and 25, the hinges being indicated at 2 10, and 250,. The extensions 24 and 25 and the frame members 2| and 22 are of L-shaped angle iron. Springs, not shown, extend from the front to the rear of the seat frame and its extensions to support the cushions and upholstery of the seat and the seat extensions. The upper edges of the panels I! and I8 are cut away so as not to interfere with the springing of the seat.

The seat back comprises a panel 26 which is permanently attached to the rear edges of the panels ll and I8 by angle sections 21 and, 28. These slope upwardly and rearwardly of the base of the chair. The panel 26 of the back has hinged extensions 23 and 30 at its opposite side edges, the hinges being indicated at 3| and 32.

The skeleton framework of each side arm comprises two laterally extending bars, the forward one of which is indicated at 33. These bars 33 have inwardly directed tongues extending throughout the lengths thereof and these tongues run in the grooves 3 and 35 formed in the bars l3 and Id. The bars 33 are united at their inner ends by a board 36 attached to their under surfaces, and are united at their outer ends by a board3l secured on their top surfaces. The bars 33 also serve to carry front and rear members 38 and 39 respectively. The front member 38 is L- shaped as viewed from the front of the chair. The front and rear members 33 and 39 are connected at their upper ends by boards 40 and M and the rear member 39 carries a forwardly extending partition 42.

In Figure 1 the side arm framework is shown in the extended position with the adjacent seat extension also extended. The seat extension 24.,

however, is shown in the normal or unextended position.

When the two side arms of the chair are in the unextended position, they are covered at the front by the loosely hanging flap shown in broken lines at 43. The flap 43 is carried by hinges 44 carried by the seat frame member 2|.

The means for governing the movements of the various parts of the chair will now be described. The seat extensions 24 and 25 are connected by links 45 and 46 to the corresponding side arms. The link 45 is pivoted to the extensions 24 at 41 and is pivoted to the corresponding side arm at 48, whilst the link 46 is pivoted to the frame 25 at 49 and to the side 38 at 50.

It will be seen from a consideration of Figure 1 that when one of the side arms is movedfrom its unextended to its extended position it will cause the adjacent seat extension to be swung upwardly through a right angle from a vertical to a horizontal position. The seat extension is supported in the upright position at its front end by the link connecting it to the side arm and at its rear end by a block 52 on the rear end of the side arm moving across the underside of a pin extending rearwardly from the seat extension. When the side arm is in its fully extended position, the pin 5| rests on the block 52, and as the side arm begins to move back to its unextended position, the block 52 moves clear of the pin 5| and so allows the seat extension to return to its hanging-down position. The right-hand back extension 29 has an arm 53 rigidly attached thereto at its lower end, and the arm 53 is coupled by a link 55 to the left-hand arm of the chair, said link being pivotally mounted to the board 3'Iof the arm. The left-hand seat extension 30 is similarly connected with the right-hand arm of the chair, said extension 30 having a rigid arm 54 connected by a link 56 with the board 31 of the right-hand arm. When the extensions of the back are folded about their hinges 3| and 32 the side arms are caused to move in the appropriate direction, moving with them in turn the seat extensions.

The seat is extended :by manipulating the upper ends of the back extensions 29 and 36 which latter carry handles 51 and 58 for this purpose.

' When the chair is in its unextended condition shown in Figure 2 the seat extensions are housed within the corresponding side arms and the back extensions are disposed at the rear of the back. The chair is very readily extended to the condition shown in Figure 3 simply by an outward folding movement of the back extensions. The back extensions are resiliently held in their extended positions by spring bracelets 59 and 60 which engage under the edges of the seat extension-frames 24 and 25. It will be seen that the greater the pressure exerted on the seat extensions, the more efiectively are the back extensions held against rearward movement.

The chair construction above described results in the right-hand side arm and the right-hand seat extension being moved by the left-hand back extension so that it is only possible to extend the chair at both ends at once. If desired, however, the link mechanism may be such that the chair can be extended at one end only at a time. Such modified mechanism is illustrated in Figure 4 in which the basic construction of the chair corresponds to that shown and described in connection with Figure 2. The linkage between the side arms and seat extension 24 and 25- is identical to that shown in the other figures and corresponding reference numerals have been used. It will be understood therefore, that by movement of a side arm I2 the adjacent seat extension will be raised into body supporting position in the manner heretofore described. Chair back 6| has hinged thereto extensions 62 and. 63 by pivotal movement of which the corresponding side arm and seat extension will be shifted into position rather than the opposite side arm and seat extension as in the structure of Figure 1. This is accomplished by pivotally attaching one end of an arm 64 to the lower edge of back extension 62 and similarly an arm 65- to .back extension 63 while the other ends of arms 64 and 65 are pivotally attached respectively to an end of plungers 66 and 61, which are mounted for reciprocation in guideways 68 and 69. The end of the plunger remote from the point of pivotal attachment to an arm 64 or 65, as the case may be, is attached to a side arm l2. By this arrangement, if back extension 62 is moved in the direction of the arrows of Figure 4, the plunger 66 will be drawn into the guideway 68 and, as a consequence, the side arm |2 adjacent frame 24 will be drawn inwardly to closed position.

It will be noted that the guideways 68 and 69 are tubular and that they are provided with slots permitting the use of a pin for effecting pivotal connection between arm 64 and plunger 66 and arm 55 and plunger 61. The guideways are rigidly held in parallel relationship from members l1 and I8.

Although the invention has been described in connection with an easy chair having upholstered padding, it is to be understood that the invention can also be applied to other forms of chairs or seats. It is also to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the constructions shown in the drawings.

By providing a base to the compartment below the central portion of the seat, the compartment can be used for the storage of an additional cushion which would .be needed when the chair is extended. The pivoted flap hanging from the front of the seat portion constitutes a door for the compartment.

What I claim is:

1. A chair extensible laterally, having a seat, a seat flap pivoted on the side edge of the seat and normally hanging down, a side arm adjacent the seat flap and slidable laterally away from the seat, and a link connecting the side arm to the seat flap so that the outward movement of the side arm automatically raises the seat flap into position.

2.'A chair according to claim 1, wherein the link acts in compression during extension and assumes when extended an upright position to lend support to the flap.

3. A chair according to claim 1, wherein a shoulder on a back part of the chair engages under the flap when the chair is extended.

- 4. A chair extensible laterally to comprise in combination a seat, extension members pivoted on the side edges of the seat and normally hanging down, side arms movable laterally away from the seat, a back, extension members pivoted on the side edges of the back and normally folded against the rear face of the back, simple links connecting the seat extension members with the adjacent side arms, and links connecting the back extension members with the opposite side arms so that pivotal movement of the back extension members will cause extension of the side arms and incident extension of the seat extension members.

5. A chair, according to claim 4, having means extending from the back extensions cooperating with a downwardly extending member on the underside of the seat extensions to prevent dislodgement of both the back extensions and seat extensions in extended position.

6. A chair comprising in combination a seat portion, means extensible laterally therefrom, a back portion, means extensible laterally therefrom, two side arms movable relatively away from one another, means movable upon the lateral extension of said second-named means to efiect the movement of the side arms, and means responsive to the movement of the side arms for efiecting movement of said first-named means so that by relative outward movement of the arms and the extension of the seat and the back, the chair as a whole can be extended laterally to accommodate one or more additional occupants.

7. A chair extensible laterally comprising in combination, a seat, extension members pivoted on the edges of the seat and normally hanging down, side arms movable laterally away from the seat, a back, extension members pivoted on the side edges of the back and normally folded to lie against the rear face of the back, simple links connecting the seat extension members with the adjacent side arms, and links connecting each back extension member with the adjacent side arm so that extension of one of the back extension members automatically causes lateral movement of the respective side arm and extension of the adjacent sea-t extension member.

8. A chair, according to claim '7, wherein the links connecting the back extension members with adjacent side arms underlie a member parallel to but spaced from the seat, which defines therewith a compartment, and a flap, hinged along the front edge of the seat, to depend downwardly to constitute a cover for said compartment.

9. A chair according to claim 4, wherein the links connecting the extension members pivoted on the side edges of the back with the side arms underlie a member parallel to but spaced from the seat which defines therewith a compartment, and a flap is hinged along the front edge of the seat to depend downwardly to constitute a cover for said compartment.

10. A chair comprising a back, portions laterally extensible and retractible from the back, a seat, seat extensions extensible laterally of the seat, side arms each movable outwardly away from the seat, means movable by extension of the portions extensible from the back for moving the side arms outwardly from the seat, and means movable by movement of the side arms for laterally extending the seat extensions so that the chair can be adjusted to accommodate additional occupants.

11. A chair according to claim 10 wherein the seat extensions are in the form of flaps hinged'to the side edges of the seat and wherein themeans movable by the side arms for laterally extending the seat extensions consists of a link connecting each flap to its adjacent side arm so that movement of the arms outwardly will cause the flaps to rise into a horizontal position.

12. A chair according to claim 10, wherein the seat extensions are in the form of flaps hinged to the side edges of the seat, and wherein the seat extensions are disposed within the side arms when the latter are in their unextended positions.

C. LOTON PARRY. 

